Sword for combing machine



June 18, 1963 J. H. NYDAM 3,093,868 SWORD FOR COMBING MACHINE Filed May 18, 1960 IN V EN TOR.

i E JOHN H. NYDAM W 6%,4 h w a his AT United States Patent Bflddfifiii Patented June 1%, i963 ire 3,093,868 SWORD FOR CGMBING MAQHHNE John H. Nydam, North Uxbridge, Mass, assignor to Whitin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass, 21 corporation of hiassachnsetts Filed May 18, 196i Scr. No. 29,994 2 Claims. (Ci. 19-231) The present invention relates to a combing machine and, more particularly, to the components of such a machine including an element that is commonly termed the sword. In combing machines adapted to comb wool and other long fibers, the sword is of particular utility in that it helps to control the movement of the fibers as they are combed and then supplied to the detaching rolls of the combing machine. As an example of various forms of combing machines now available, US. Patents Nos. 2,593,017 and 2,898,637 may serve as illustrative. In these machines, the fleece or web of fibers is fed to a plurality of detaching rolls which grip the fleece and hold it against backward movement during the time that the remaining portions of the fleece are separated from those portions previously combed by motion of the feed and gripper mechanisms.

The function of the sword in these operations is to hold the fibers in a proper position to be advanced into the detaching rolls. In order that the sword may perform its function more effectively and to insure that all of the fibers are effectively combed as they move into the detaching rolls, the present invention has been made, and an object of the invention is, accordingly, to provide a sword mechanism by means of which all of the fibers of a fleece (particularly in a worsted comb) may be eifee tively positioned and combed as they move into the detaching rolls.

These and other objects are attained by providing a sword, the fiber-engaging face of which is formed as an abrasive, and also by providing teeth on the lower edge of the sword to comb the fringe fibers of the fleece as they are drawn forwardly into the detaching rolls.

In order that the invention may be understood more fully, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in cross section taken through a combing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrating a sword formed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the parts of the mechanism in a different position and illustrating the manner in which the sword performs its function; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrating the final stage of operation of the sword in combing the fringe fibers of the fleece as they advance into the detaching rolls.

The frame of a combing machine is illustarted at lit and is provided with a comb cylinder 11 provided with needles 12 which perform the combing operation as is generally well understood in the art.

The fibers are fed to the combing elements by mechanism not illustrated herein but which may be similar to the corresponding parts of the combing machines illustrated in the patents above-mentioned. In particular, the top comb is not illustrated in these drawings as the showing of this element is not believed to be essential to the understanding of the present invention.

A plurality of detaching rolls comprising a top roll 13 and spaced bottom rolls 14 and 15 are shown at the lefthand view of each of the drawings, these detaching rolls serving to hold the fleece, indicated generally at 16, and to advance it in accordance with standard procedures.

A sword 17 is illustrated as supported upon arms 18 in accordance with standard practice, the sword itself being generally of a form commonly available in machines of this general character. As will be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the sword moves upwardly and downwardly between positions illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the fringe 19 (which has been detached from the remaining portions of the fleece which are not illustrated) is supported upon the sword 17 so that it does not come in contact with the teeth 12 of the bottom comb or cylinder. To prevent these fibers from slipping down off the face of the sword, the face 24) is roughened or provided with an abrasive surface in accordance with the present invention. Also, and in accordance with the present invention, the lower portion of the sword 17 is provided with a multiplicity of teeth 21 which function as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

As the sword descends to its lower position in FIG. 3, the fibers of the fringe are curled as illustrated in FIG. 2 and, during the final movement of the sword, these fibers fall downwardly and are engaged by the needles or teeth 21 to insure that they are combed and thus positioned in parallel relationship to each other and to the direction .of travel of the fleece. The rotation of the detaching rolls thus serves to draw the fibers through the needles and, as the previously detached remaining fibers are received and joined with the fringe fibers 19, the detaching rolls deliver a fleece that has been combed effectively throughout all of its portions.

While the invention has been described with reference to the specific structure shown in the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited save as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sword for use in fiber-combing machines having detaching rolls, said sword having a fiber-engaging face roughened sufliciently to hold the fibers of an advancing fleece adjacent thereto as they advance into said detaching rolls and a plurality of needles adjacent the lower edge thereof with said sword in its operative position.

2. For use in fiber combing machine wherein an advancing fleece passes between a plurality of detaching rolls, a sword for combing the fringe fibers of said fleece as they advance into said detaching rolls, said sword having a fiber engaging abrasive surface facing said rolls and a plurality of needles adjacent the lower edge thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 367,529 Germany Jan. 23, 1923 

1. A SWORD FOR USE IN FIBER-COMBING MACHINES HAVING DETACHING ROLLS, SAID SWORD HAVING A FIBER-ENGAGING FACE ROUGHENED SUFFICIENTLY TO HOLD THE FIBERS OF AN ADVANCING FLEECE ADJACENT THERETO AS THEY ADVANCE INTO SAID DETACH- 